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An uncertainty function arising in sequential search theory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2016

Edward C. Posner
Affiliation:
Jr., California Institute of Technology
Howard Rumsey
Affiliation:
Jr., California Institute of Technology

Extract

This note presents a new “uncertainty function” of finite probability distributions that arises in sequential search theory. The function arises as the finite term in an asymptotic expression for an expected search time as the allowable “error probability” approaches zero. This function is not a function of entropy; it may be of more relevance than entropy to workers in certain fields for describing the complexity of a finite distribution.

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Applied Probability Trust 

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References

[1] Posner, Edward C. and Rumsey, Howard Jr. (1966) Continuous sequential decision in the presence of a finite number of hypotheses. Proc. Int. Symp. Inf. Theory, Los Angeles, Calif. Special issue of IEEE Trans. Information Theory , IT-12, 248255.Google Scholar